


and hell grabs us by the hand

by nicole_writes



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, F/M, Female Pidge | Katie Holt, Friendship/Love, I hurt my babies, I'm sorry!, Korean Keith (Voltron), Love, M/M, Spanish Lance (Voltron), The ending, Voltron destroyed, dying, impending doom, klance, major angst, shallura - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-20
Updated: 2016-09-20
Packaged: 2018-08-16 03:40:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8085517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nicole_writes/pseuds/nicole_writes
Summary: There's honour in dying amongst friends. // or The End and The Grief// major angst // implied shallura and klance





	

__

_The time for sleep is now_  
_It's nothing to cry about_  
_'Cause we'll hold each other soon_  
_In the blackest of rooms_  
\- I Will Follow You Into The Dark, **Death Cab for Cutie**  


\- ~ -

The only sounds in the hall are Shiro's labored breathing and the telltale tapping of Allura's desperation. 

Pidge's eyes wander to Shiro. The leader of Voltron is propped against a pillar, eyes half-lidded and chest heaving wearily. His forehead is shiny with perspiration and his tuft of hair is plastered against it. His expression, once contorted in pain, has relaxed a little, but he's still suffering. His armour is battered-pieces have been broken off or burned away-and his prosthetic is long gone. It's a little strange to look at Shiro's arm, usually so strong and fit, and to see it end in a stump just past his elbow. 

Next to Shiro sits Hunk. The big guy doesn't make a sound. His eyes fix soullessly on the ground by his feet. He looks okay, until you see the mess that is his arm. Coran says it's broken in three places and it makes Pidge squeamish to even look at. And if you know Hunk, you know something is wrong because he's expressionless and quiet and Hunk is always warm and protective and cuddly, but he's just stone now. 

Allura lets out a whoosh of air in frustration. Pidge looks at her. The Altean Princess is standing at the console pressing every button she can to try and get the Castle's power back. When her buttons fail her, she tries again using different codes and combinations. Once she's tried all those, she runs an irritated hand through her silver hair. It's tangled and Allura's face is smudged with dirt. It's a different look for the princess, but desperate times call for desperate measures. 

Coran touches the Princess' shoulder gently. He guides her away from the terminal, but she snaps back to it like an elastic band to futilely try again. Coran is showing his age as he hovers at Allura's side, wrinkles etched deeply into his brow. He doesn't disturb her that often, but he watches her patiently and Pidge wonders if Allura has ever noticed her second father. 

Something next to her leg twitches and Pidge glances down. Keith's knee is just barely brushing her calf as he jerks unconsciously. The Red Paladin looks battered and half-dead and his unconscious state supports that. Criss-crossing knife wounds cover his back and there's nasty gash on his head. The dried streak of blood down his face is as red as the Lion he usually pilots and Pidge feels sick. He's against a ledge, but leaning heavily on the paladin beside him. 

Lance is next to Keith. He's sitting with his legs bent a little awkwardly, but it's the best he can manage. He looks tired and worn and sad. His helmet rests in his lap and his hair is matted to his forehead with sweat and the cut on his temple glitters under the emergency lights of the Castle. Lance looks like he's been through an ordinary fight except the heartbroken way he's staring at his toes like he's lost purpose. 

Allura curses again in Altean and Pidge curls her toes in her shoes. Allura has to get the power working again. They have to have access to the pods! She casts a tired look at her teammates and her heart cries out for them because they're suffering. Pidge pulls her knees into her chest and locks her eyes on Allura's tensed shoulders, praying for a miracle. 

Shiro grunts as he adjusts himself against the pillar, his hand and arms sticky with his own blood. There's a stream of it seeping between his fingers through the nasty gashes on his stomach. Pidge watches it trickle towards the floor, staining the white stone red. Shiro looks at Allura and Pidge flinches. 

Coran's original diagnoses had not been hopeful. Without help from a healing pod, Shiro would undoubtedly bleed out and die. Given time and adequate healing conditions, there was a chance Keith would survive, but there's no telling what kind of head trauma he could and would sustain. Hunk would never be able to fix his arm and it would be useless and painful for the rest of his life. Lance, with his unfeeling legs bent awkwardly, would never walk again, much less pilot a Lion or any other craft. 

And because life is feeling particularly wicked, Pidge is fine. She escaped the battle unharmed and then was small enough to escape any damage during the crash. Matt's glasses are gone, but she never needed them in the first place. Pidge's spine tingles when she remembers everything that had transpired. 

\- ~ - 

It was supposed to be an easy mission. It was get in, sabotage the ship, free the prisoners, and get out. It was only after they'd snuck aboard, too easily in Pidge's opinion, that they realized it wasn't an ordinary ship. It was one of the Galra command ships and there was no good that could have come out of that. 

As if hell heard their prayers, the Galra attacked. They were ambushed. There were never any prisoners on the ship to free and it was all a huge set-up. The Paladins of Voltron were vastly outnumbered, but they fought. It was a valiant fight, but after Hunk's arm was snapped, it started going badly. 

A blow to the head knocked down Keith and Lance went to his side, only to be grabbed and thrown wide. He landed on his back with a sickening crunch and the Blue Paladin collapsed with a crushing scream of pain. Keith had then tried to help Lance, but had ended up receiving the blows to his back. Then Shiro was skewered from behind and it was over. 

Hunk had managed to hold Shiro up with his good arm. Between a barely conscious Keith and a too-small Pidge, they managed to drag Lance along too. They retreated to the Lions and shakily called on Voltron. However, they weren't fighting. They needed to get back to the castle. 

Pidge recalls the frantic rush to escape the Galra with Keith slipping out of consciousness and Lance's panicked voice over comms, and Shiro's sharp hisses and grunts. 

And Voltron limped away, but they didn't get far. The Galra blocked their wormhole and they had to flee the other way. It was enough of a struggle to try and dodge the fire of a Galra fleet normally, but injured and muddled, they didn't stand a chance. 

One too many hits had Voltron spiraling out of control towards a radiating supernova. Allura and Coran panicked to the team over comms and none of the paladins said a word. Their eyes were fixed on the star before them and they knew it was over. 

Until a warm glitter surrounded them and they were all back in the Castle's main chamber. But then the lights flickered out and the healing pods deactivated and the only things working were the emergency lights and the backup shield as Team Voltron watched the great weapon plunge into the surface of the star, vaporizing. 

Allura had saved them from dying in the ruins of their Lions using what Altean technology she could salvage and draining the last of the Castle's main power source. She saved them only for them to die in her clutches anyways. Pidge could have laughed if the lives of her teammates weren't on the line. 

\- ~ -

Keith stirs back into consciousness, and Coran checks on him. Whatever hit him in the head did damage, and Keith needs those healing pods. And so do the others. Shiro doesn't have much time left and Pidge thinks that Allura is losing her mind. 

It's only then that she realizes. They should have died with their Lions. They would have died with their Lions. Pidge's eyes flash to the windows beyond Allura's console and she stares at the star that should have ended the Paladins like it did Voltron. 

"We should have died," Pidge says finally. 

Lance drags his eyes to Pidge, brow creasing. "We're still going to," he points out angrily. 

“We should have died in our Lions,” Pidge reinforces, her eyes wandering to Allura. 

“It’s dying either way,” Keith spits out bitterly. 

Allura’s shoulders tense at his response. Pidge notices Shiro is still watching Allura intently. Coran also notices the princess’ response and he bristles. No one has the strength or energy to say anything for a moment. 

“Allura brought us here,” Shiro reminds. “We have a chance now,” he argues. 

Hunk looks up for the first time. “Shiro, you heard Coran. You’re dying,” he points out. 

“But the rest of you should survive,” the Black Paladin enforces. 

“We should,” Lance echoes bitterly. 

“I’m sorry alright!” Allura finally snaps, spinning to face Team Voltron. “I’m sorry I didn’t want you to die alone when there was something I could do!” 

Pidge recoils at her hard tone and Shiro looks down. Keith meets her blazing eyes with his own. 

“At least then we could have died with honour!” he snarls. 

“Is there no honour in dying surrounded by friends?” Pidge asks weakly, trying to find a middle ground. She feels terrible for bringing this up.

“Not when we could have gone down with our Lions,” Keith says sharply. “There’s no point in waiting here, in pain, for our shields to fail and the Galra to finally land the last hit.”

“The shields won’t fail,” Coran argues, but his resolve has chipped away and he’s not sure of his own words. 

Lance scoffs. “They’re already failing,” he mutters darkly. 

Allura’s lips press into a line and her eyes glitter and Pidge knows she wants to fight back and defend her side. Pidge looks at Shiro-he usually steps in around this point-but their leader’s head is lolled against his chest and his eyes are glazed and exhausted. Pidge feels a lump in her throat and she knows there isn’t much time left before Shiro bleeds out. 

Surprisingly, Hunk interferes. “Stop fighting,” he commands. His usually light, lilted voice is heavy with fear and other mixed emotions. The other paladins clamp their mouths shut in surprise and even Allura’s anger ebbs away. 

The princess turns back to her console, pressing against the keys with a newfound sense of desperation. Pidge scoots along the tiled floor towards Shiro. The older paladin can’t even lift his head to look at her, but his eyes meet hers. She knows there’s nothing to do for Shiro unless they can get a pod working, but it’s unlikely that it will happen in time, if at all. Instead, Pidge just touches Shiro’s shoulder, trying to will her strength to her friend because it’s not his time and it shouldn’t have to be. 

And Pidge feels the tears prick in her eyes and she breaks eye contact with Shiro, ashamed to cry in front of him. The lights of the castle flicker and everyone looks up and Pidge feels dread settle into her stomach like a weight. Allura bashes at a few more keys and the flickering stops for a moment. 

Then a loud screech echoes and sparks fly up from Allura’s console and the light dims before it dies out completely. No one makes a sound and Pidge’s eyes lock on Allura. After a moment, several dim spotlights cast a hazy light over the group, but it’s still pretty dark and for a moment, Pidge wonders if it will get any brighter.

It doesn’t and Allura stumbles back from her console and her shoulders are shaking. “No!” she cries desperately. “It was supposed to work! I was supposed to get the power back and we were supposed to save you!” She spins to face the paladins, looking absolutely crushed. 

“Allura,” Coran tries to console, but the princess falls to her knees and covers her face anyways. 

Lance and Keith both have the decency to look a little ashamed at being a part of Allura’s panic, but there’s an underlying clenching of fear too. At this point, the Galra have won. 

“So that’s it?” Hunk says. His voice holds no malice, but he sounds frustrated. 

“That’s it,” Pidge confirms weakly. There’s nothing left. They don’t have long until their shields fail and the Galra finally land their last hit. No one speaks and silence befalls the team. 

Someone begins humming softly in the dark and Pidge squints and notices that of all people, it is Shiro. Allura stares at the Black Paladin, her eyes wide with curiosity. Shiro lifts his head and rests it against the wall behind him and keeps humming. To her surprise, Pidge recognizes the song. She’s only heard it a couple times, but it’s a sweet song. 

She clears her throat a little and sings along. Her voice is nothing special, in fact, it’s scratchy from disuse, but she knows enough about music to carry the tune well enough. “If Heaven and Hell decide, that they both are satisfied, illuminate the No's on their vacancy signs. If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks, then I'll follow you into the dark,” she sings softly. 

Pidge feels eyes on her and she cuts off self-consciously. Everyone in the Castle is looking at her except Keith. Keith is staring downwards at his hand. Pidge notices it rests suspiciously close to Lance’s hand, and she wonders if the boys have finally figured it out. Perhaps they didn’t show it as exuberantly as Allura and Shiro, but Pidge and Hunk had both picked up on the attraction. 

“Pidge, thank you,” Coran says gently. “That was wonderful.”

“I don’t think I’m the one to thank here,” Pidge reflects. “Shiro was humming and I just knew the song. It’s nothing special.” 

“That’s not true,” Allura argues. “You have a beautiful voice and though the melody was pretty, the words made it even more beautiful.” 

“She’s right,” Shiro says. 

Pidge casts her eyes to the Black Paladin. “It just seemed like the right thing to do,” she confesses. 

Shiro smiles weakly. His eyes slide past Pidge to Allura and there’s no hiding what’s in them now. Even Allura and Coran aren’t oblivious enough to see that. The Altean Princess meets his gaze sadly. Pidge slides away, back towards Keith and Lance, to offer Allura her place. The princess takes it without complaint. She leans towards Shiro and brushes the hair out of his face. 

“You’re so strong Takashi,” she whispers and Pidge knows they know. But it’s a little too late, and the emotion between the two makes her feel like she’s intruding. 

Pidge turns away and meets Hunk’s eyes. The big paladin is staring at her and he smiles as best he can. He’s still Hunk, she realizes, and he is planning on holding his front until the very end. For a second, Pidge feels like she’s really going to cry again, and Hunk breaks their eye contact. The Yellow Paladin rubs furiously at his eyes and Pidge looks down into her lap. 

“Keith,” Lance whispers hoarsely. The Blue Paladin breaks the silence and he tugs on Keith’s sleeve gently. 

Keith looks down at him, dark brown eyes unreadable. Lance looks as tired and beat up as the rest of them and Pidge wonders idly if he is going to say something to try and fire up Keith, but there’s a sadness in the Latino’s eyes that’s not common for Lance. It is the same thing that Pidge sees every time she looks into a mirror when she’s thinking about Matt. 

“Ti amo, Keith,” Lance says softly. 

The ire drains from the Red Paladin as he finally touches Lance’s hand and Pidge sees that they’re not quite as stupid as they look. Lance knows, Keith knows, and everyone knows and yet this is the first time they’ve ever spoken of it, and they’re all about it die. It seems only mostly poetic. 

“Al-a, Lance. Nado salanghae,” Keith replies. His Korean is not as smooth as Lance’s Spanish, and Pidge attributes it to the fact Keith hasn’t spoken it in years, but she doesn’t need to understand Korean to know what he’s replied. 

Lance chuckles and rests his head on Keith’s shoulder. They’re an odd pair, Pidge decides, with Lance craning his neck to rest on Keith even though the Red Paladin is the shorter of the two. Although, she notices, Allura is still sitting next to Shiro, and they’re still staring into each other’s eyes. Pidge looks down. Her father and Matt-she misses them more than she should. 

“Sorry Coran,” Hunk blurts. “I’m not confessing my love for you today,” he says. Pidge giggles. She can’t stop herself and it just slips out, but at least something is there to lighten the mood, even if it’s only for a couple seconds before their impending doom. 

Allura finally looks away from Shiro to scan the rest of Voltron’s Paladins. “Boys, and Pidge, I’m so proud of you, and I’m so sorry it is ending this way,” she says slowly. 

“I couldn’t have wished for a better team. Though we didn’t last forever, there’s no one I would have liked to kick Galra butt more with,” Shiro adds. “We made Earth proud and now it’s their turn to protect the galaxy.”

“Just hope the commander doesn’t get his knickers stuck in a permanent twist,” Keith grumbles. Lance laughs. 

“Nice one Keith,” he says, elbowing the Red Paladin. Keith flinches, but everyone pretends not to see. 

Before Lance or Keith can say anything more, an emergency light flashes overhead. The red light rains across the room followed by a loud siren. Then the words ‘SHIELDS FAILING’ are being called as well and Pidge feels the blood drain into her feet. This is it. 

“Thank you Paladins,” Coran says, echoing Allura. 

He’s the last one to speak. Pidge brings her knees into her chest and closes her eyes. She’s not in pain, but her friends are, and there’s no way they’re getting out. The pods, healing and escape, are disabled along with the Castle, and the shields just fell. It should only take one shot from the Galra to end it all. 

Pidge rests her forehead against her knees. No matter what anyone says, there is honour in dying amongst friends. 

\- ~ - 

_If there’s no one beside you  
When your soul embarks  
Then I Will Follow You Into The Dark ___

**Author's Note:**

> More angst from me! Big surprise there... Anyways, it's my first works in Voltron! I watched the whole series in the summer and got really into it, and I recently rewatched it and got the inspiration to write this piece. Yes, it's sad and they definitely didn't survive, but the feels are real.


End file.
